For many years it has been recognized that it is desirable to illuminate mirrors that are inserted into the mouth or other body cavity to assist the dentist or physician in performing diagnostic or treatment procedures. One such dental mirror is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,176,620. In this patent a dental mirror unit is disclosed that uses a mirror that is illuminated by a light bulb that is in turn connected to a source of electrical power that is external to the dental illuminator unit by means of electrical wires that are connected to a transformer that is in turn connected to a source of conventional house current.
Although such illuminated mirrors had definite advantages and permitted the dentist or physician to obtain a better view of the appropriate portions of the body cavity. The surface of the mirror would frequently become contaminated with aerosols of moisture, frequently mucous or foreign matter such as blood, tooth dust, bone shavings and soft tissue debris resulting from surgical or similar procedures. This contamination would require that the mirror be periodically removed from the mouth or other body cavity and cleaned in order that a proper view could be obtained through the use of the mirror. This cleaning requirement could make diagnostic or thereputic procedures more difficult and greatly increase the time required for such procedures. This is particularly true during dental surgical operations and the like where blood, saliva and tissue remnants would collect on a dry mirror quickly covering the mirror surface requiring that the mirror be removed from the body cavity such as the mouth every thirty seconds (or even more frequently) for cleaning. To make matters worse dried blood and debris on the mirror surface resists removal and hence can cause a significant further delay in the procedure that is being conducted.
A number of dental mirror cleaning devices have been proposed in the past. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,834,109 discloses a dental mirror device that has a bore to permit an air stream to be directed against the mirror surface to permit it to be maintained free of moisture. U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,910 discloses a similar device in which fluid is ejected across the mirror surface. Other U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,118,231; 3,250,005; 3,256,603; 3,342,178 and 3,352,305 disclose the use of water as well as air to clean the mirror surface of a dental mirror device.
Another U.S. Patent discloses the use of fiber optic type systems in connection with a dental mirror type device. U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,013 describes a dental mirror that is used in conjunction with a fiber optic type cable or the like. However, the system disclosed in this patent has no provision for cleaning the mirror surface and apparently requires the use of a separate fiber optic type cable system for its proper operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,594 discloses a dental hand mirror device that uses fiber optics in conjunction with a mirror. In addition, the dental hand mirror device has provisions for supplying air to the mirror surface to clean it. However, the fiber optic system is used in connection with a two-way mirror and may in practice not be economically practical and effective. In addition, the system is not sterilizable but is disposable and this may compound the possible economic problems associated with this dental mirror device.
This invention overcomes the problems associated with prior art dental mirror devices and the like and permits the mirror surface to be readily illuminated, cleaned, and sterilized. In particular, the invention permits the mirror surface to be exposed to light from a fiber optic system that is to be reflected from the mirror surface. In addition, the mirror surface can be cleaned by air, water or a spray of air and water. The dental mirror device or the like also has an outer portion that is readily removable for cleaning and standard autoclave sterilization. Additionally, the entire device may be readily disconnected from its air, water and light sources and sterilized by ethylene oxide sterilization. The invention may thus be used in the most fastidious hospital operating rooms for illumination and viewing of dental surgical or medical surgical procedures on body cavities.